Kogi tax clearance system not witch-hunting – KGIRS

The acting chairman, Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), Sule Salihu Enehe, has said Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has no business in the tax clearance and advertisement of political parties’ billboards and collection of taxes in the state.


Enehe made the clarification at a press conference in Lokoja Wednesday while refuting some social media insinuations of an allegation that Governor Bello sent his revenue men to intimidate other political parties.


He pointed out that any action of the revenue service has a constitutional backing, adding that “Section 85 (2) of Personal Income Tax, 2021 as amended, vest the power to verify tax clearance certificate in the issuing tax authority.”
He added that obtaining a tax clearance through misrepresentation, forgery, falsification, according to the law is an offence and such offender is liable for prosecution.


“The Kogi state government through the state House of Assembly passed the law tagged: “Kogi state of Nigeria, a law to provide for the regulation of outdoor structures for the display of signage , hoarding and advertisements in Kogi state and for other matters connected therewith 2022.”


The acting chairman added that the law was assented to by Governor Bello in September, 2022 and noted that the law empowered KGIRS to enforce it. He said the letter was sent to all political parties without exception.